When my youngest son was a little boy, he had a dream that seemed real. He spoke of having been at his mother’s and my wedding. We laughed about it and then helped him understand that he had seen pictures of our wedding and dreamed of such a thing, but it was impossible that he could have been at our wedding.

Sometimes, our minds can imagine things so vividly that they seem real. However, not every perception can be trusted.

What would you think if I were to tell a story that claimed that before I was conceived, I willed to be born?  I would be worried about you if you didn’t think that claim was absurd. No baby ever willed to be conceived. There is nothing there until conception occurs.  If I were to try to take credit for my natural birth in any way, you would be justified in thinking of me as being deceived.

If I were to take credit for my natural birth, I would be glorying in myself. I would be glorying in myself by taking credit for something I had nothing to do with.  The same is true when it comes to my spiritual birth.  I am not created to glory in myself in His presence.

1 Corinthians 1:29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

This declaration is meant to remove the idea that anyone should imagine they had anything to do with their salvation.

1 Corinthians 1:26  For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

We did not choose ourselves for this amazingly wonderful gift.  We did not qualify ourselves for it either.  God chose us on purpose for a reason.  He chose us when we were nothing, spiritually dead in our sins and trespasses.  He did this to bring to nothing the things that are.  In other words, to end any boasting on anyone’s part of having merited being selected.  If we read the Scripture about this further, we discover why.

1 Corinthians 1:30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”

All boasting in ourselves should end and be replaced with giving glory and honor to Jesus!

My belonging to Jesus had nothing to do with me being smart enough to choose Him.  I was not wise.  It had nothing to do with my pedigree in the natural. I did not have one.  By bringing someone foolish like me to Christ, He shames the wise in this world who trust in their wisdom and cannot seem to get it.  By choosing a weak person such as myself, He shames the strong, self-made people.  He chose me!  He saved me!  It was all by grace; even the faith I employed to turn to Christ was His gift.  I can only boast in Jesus and the love of the Father!

All glory to Jesus!  All praise to the Father!  Thank You, Holy Spirit, for opening my eyes, heart, and understanding when You made me alive in Christ!  Thank You for Your great love and mercy towards me and Your wonderful grace in Christ.